and acceptable Men in the time of Adversity By the same Hand 1. IF all th' appointed Days of Man were fair And his few Hours mov'd o'er him like a Breeze That gently fans the waving Trees Soft and Smooth and void of Care As Infants balmy Slumbers are How should we ere assured be That even Temper we might see Were Vertue not Prosperity 2. Not so th' Almighty Wisdom has design'd We should in Ease and Luxury remain Untry'd by Sorrow or by Pain No the great Searcher of the Mind Unshaken Vertue there must find Tho' low as to the Dunghil brought With him whose sifted Patience taught He serv'd for Duty else for nought 3. We see the wealthiest Oar the Earth doth hide Is not receiv'd or pass'd for current Gold Nor by the greedy Miser told Till by the Cleansing Furnace try'd It doth the seven fold Test abide So must the Path of Grief be trod That certain Purifying Road By all th' accepted Sons of God 4. God in this Method to our Needs has bow'd Nor is it Reason guides when we complain Favours alas but fall in vain And the good Things that are allow'd Instead of happy make us proud Let us not then refuse this part But wisely learn the Saving Art Which Tears to Comforts do's convert On AFFLICTION By the same Hand 1. WElcome what e'er my tender Flesh may say Welcome Affliction to my Reason still Tho' hard and rugged on this Rock I lay A sure Foundation which if rais'd with Skill Shall compass Babels aim and reach th' Almighty's Hill 2. Welcome the Rod that do's Adoption shew The Cup whose wholsome Dregs are giv'n me here There is a Day behind if God be true When all these Clouds shall pass and Heaven be clear When those whom most they shade shall shine most glorious there 3. Affliction is the Line which every Saint Is measur'd by his Stature taken right So much it shrinks as they repine or faint But if their Faith or Courage stand upright By that is made the Crown and the full Robe of Light PSALM the 137th Paraphras'd to the 7th Verse By the same Hand PRoud Babylon thou saw'st us Weep Euphrates as he past along Saw on his Banks the Sacred Throng A heavy Solemn Mourning keep Sad Captives to thy Sons and Thee When nothing but our Tears were free A Song of Sion they require And from the neighbouring Trees to take Each Man his dumb neglected Lyre And Cheerful Sounds on them awake But Cheerful Sounds the Strings refuse Nor will their Masters Griefs abuse How can we Lord thy Praise proclaim Here in a strange unhallow'd Land Lest we provoke them to blaspheme A Name they do not understand And with Rent Garments that deplore Above what e'er we felt before But thou Ierusalem so dear If thy lov'd Image e'er depart Or I forget thy Sufferings here Let my Right hand forget her Art My Tongue her Vocal Gift resign And Sacred Verse no more be mine The Second Chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon Paraphras'd By the same Hand The first 12 Lines being an Introduction HOw weak is Man that would himself perswade Out of his Interest and his Tempter aid Misled by present Ioys and humane Pride Would gladly lay his future Hopes aside Uncloath himself of all he holds Divine And to the Earth his Ashes would confine Consent his Soul all pains on it to spare Shou'd vanish like the soft and silent Air This Doctrin which in ancient Times was penn'd Th' industrious Devil took care shou'd still descend And we by Atheists now the same are told Which Israels wisest Prince describes of old The CHAPTER begins THus reason'd they said he but not aright Deluded by the Charms of vain Delight Tho' Life be short how tedious is the day Which some new Pleasure doth not drive away Death hastens on all humane Things to seize And there 's no remedy for that Disease None from the Grave return nor Moses Laws Have seen him come to vindicate their Cause Chance made the World and the same Hand of Chance Did blindly Man into that World advance And when the date of certain years expires As he had never been he back retires That active Fire which animates the Heart And thence all Life and Motion do's impart By some contending Element opprest Extinguish'd fails and quits the darken'd breast The Vapour in our Nostrils steals away And all that row remains is common Clay Time preys upon our Memory and Name And deep Oblivion swallows up our Fame Like a swift Cloud we pass unheeded by No track is left no mark where it did fly Nor shall it e'er return to shade the Sky Since past and future we at distance see And present time can only useful be Voluptuous and in Pleasures let us live And freely spend what Moments we receive Still let us gay and warm Affections hold And when in Age forget that we are old Roses about our youthful Tresses ty Roses shall when they fall their place supply The cheerful Spring shall round our Temples shine Whilst our full Bowls flow with Autumnal Wine The polish'd Skin with Ointments shall begay Circling Perfumes shall usher on the way And soft harmonious Airs about us play Diffusing as we pass Luxuriant Bliss This is our Portion and our Lot is this Justice shall lay aside her useless Scales And Force shall Justice be when Force prevails No Law shall govern no dull Rule take place The Widow nor the hoary Head find grace Oppression shall the righteous Man devour Fashion'd by Conscience for the Tyrant's pow'r Who meekly yields to wrong or vile disgrace Yet from th' Immortal God derives his Race And by himself is arrogantly stil'd Of him he Worships the apparent Child Him let us wait for that upbraids us still With Breach of Laws and Education ill That but at distance views our loose Delight And blasts our Mirth with his reproachful sight Who not like us his Youth to Pleasure gives But singular and solitary lives And does his Eyes on distant Prospects bend Saying the Iust is blessed in his End That let us hasten and his Patience prove And his cool Temper with rough usage move If Son to him whom he Almighty calls He sure will Save when in our hands he falls Let us in Shame and Tortures make him dye And so his Truth and his Protector try Full place did such Imaginations find With Men in Mists of Sin and Error blind That knew not God nor did his Laws regard Unmindful of the Work or the Reward That shall on blameless Souls hereafter rest When with Eternity of Pleasures blest God stampt his Image on created Earth And made it so Immortal in its Birth And tho' th' Inferrial Fiend with Envy fill'd Brought Death into the World and some has kill'd Yet only those that do his part embrace Shall fall to him and his appointed place SOLITUDE HOw far the sweets of Solitude excel The World's loud Mirth and clam'rous
he goes Whose Streams his Passage to the Schools oppose He now must put Heav'ns Promise to the Test And prove if he Elijah's Spirit possest Dismantled on the Current's Verge he stood Then smote and cry'd Where 's now Elijah's God Chastis'd by Him the swelling Streams give way And Great Elijah's greater Heir Obey HYMN by H. W. 1. THou God for ever blest Of uncreated Pow'r possest Whose Habitation is in Light refin'd From thy Celestial Throne With Pity Lord look down Behold relieve my troubled Mind Anguish and Horror from my Heart remove Thou God of everlasting Peace and Love 2. And Thou who sitt'st at his Right-hand That do'st th' Angelick Hosts command Thou who on Earth didst heav'nly Pow'r display Thou whose mild Voice made Winds and Seas obey The Storms the Tempest in my Brest allay Chastise Controul The boist'ring Waves that rowl And Toss and Wreck and quite o'er-whelm my sick despairing Soul 3. And Thou most sweet and Sacred Dove The God of Consolation and of Love Visit O Visit ev'ry Part Of my afflicted Heart That Heart for thy Reception to prepare By thy most heav'nly Influence Expel all sinful Thoughts from thence And Save me from the Gulph of black Despair Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery KINGS the II. Chap. 20. By Mr. Tate WIth double Pleasure sprung the cheerful Dawn That saw the Syrians threatning Host with drawn Yet ah no sooner Wars Allarms are fled No sooner Peace her brooding Wings had spread But Sickness arm'd with Death's resistless Sting Invades the Sacred Person of the King The raging Pest within his Vitals reign'd More dang'rous than the Siege he had sustain'd The fatal Summons Purple Symptoms gave And Thus the Prophet warns him to his Grave Thy House in Order set dispose thy State For Death O King do's on my Message wait He stalks behind me to thy Palace-Gate The Prince who had Besieging Hosts defy'd Turns Pale and deeply Sighing Thus reply'd Can Heav'n impose where Justice is sublime A Task so weighty and so short a Time My House in Order set dispose my State Surpriz'd like Me with Life's last stage in View Alas what could a private Master do If Him a Doom so sudden wou'd o'erwhelm Ah what must I who sit at Iudah's Helm My Family no less than All the Realm That Realm how shall I orderly bequeath E'er Wars Alarms afford me time to breath How place my Scepter e'er my Sword I Sheath But if th' Almighty Wisdom has thought fit That I shou'd Iudah's Royal Ensigns quit My Soul at his Decree shall ne'er Repine Both Life and Empire at his Call Divine I will Resign But ah to whom Resign For yet the Marriage Bed's to me unknown And Iudah wants an Heir to Iudah's Throne Shall Israel's Ten Apostate Tribes their King To Sion's Tow'r and worse Unhallow'd Idols to the Temple bring Or shall Assyrian Troops the Siege renew And Rabsheka's blaspheming Threats prove True When in such Terms the Royal Saint had mourn'd His Face bedew'd with Tears he meekly turn'd Turn'd to the Wall Why thither that his Mind Might less Distraction in that Posture find Or secret Pray'rs more servently to press As warm Devotion loves no Witnesses Or that his Palace open'd on that side A Prospect whence his Eyes the Temple spy'd Where wish'd Access was to his Feet deny'd A second Deluge at his View he show'r'd And thus his Soul her Deprecation pour'd Remember Lord with humble Trust I sue How to thy Service I have been most True With perfect Heart by strong Devotion warm'd That which was Righteous in thy sight perform'd The Royal Saint paus'd here and hov'ring round Attending Angels strive to catch each Sound Scarce could They for their finisht Errand stay While thus the Pious Prince proceeds to Pray How prays He Not one Accent more he spoke But when his Tongue grows mute his Thoughts invoke His Tears and Groans their Office still maintain Let then the faithful Muse The Language of those Groans and Tears explain They said Thou seest O God most Just and Wise All fix'd on me the Neighb'ring Nations Eyes How in a Leud and Superstitious Age Alone I stand and for thy Truth engage Thy Worship's Champion if in Death I sleep From Pagan Force who shall thine Altars keep The Reformation I with Toil commenc'd Will soon relapse to Ruin when unfenc'd The Assyrian Savage with impetuous Haste Th' Enclosure gone will lay thy Vineyard waste Let me or let my Cause thy Favour claim Support thy Servant or at least thy Name Restore me from the Grave prolong my Days Prolong them that I may prolong thy Praise Nor yet the Prophet had the Palace left And Royal Patient of all Hope bereft But He whose Visit made the Court to Mourn Of Life the welcom Envoy must Return Turn cry'd the Vision bring my Saint Relief Tell Hezekiab tell my People's Chief Thy Father David's God has heard thy Pray'r Beheld thy Tears and will thy Health repair The Third Day 's Sun shall see that Health restor'd But Miracles must first confirm my Word Who now wants Breath his mournful Crys to raise Shall in the Temple then resound my Praise On the Death of Mr. Fell who was found Dead upon his Knees in his Chamber PRetending private Study when thy Mind To Paradise this Voyage had design'd Was sure a Pious though surprising Fraud And such as Saints and Angels must applaud Elijah thus pretending to Retire Told of the Water but conceal'd the Fire Elisha had he sought no more to know Had lost his Spirit and his Mantle too Such Legacies blest Soul mightst thou have giv'n Had we but seen thee when snatcht up to Heav'n Sure Paradise was open'd to thy view When with thy Pray'r thy Soul together flew In such a sacred Rapture Stephen spy'd Heav'n's Gates unlockt and forthwith kneel'd and dy'd To Heav'n thou now hast shewn the nearest way Which is like Thee to Study and to Pray You that carve Virtue deckt with ev'ry Grace As if her Beauties lay in Hands and Face Come Counterfeit this Image if you dare The first Original Statue of a Prayer Heaven took thee up when it beheld thee down So Princes kneel when they receive a Crown Nor did Heav'ns sudden Summons Thee surprise It scarce could ever find thee otherwise Thy pious Soul in Consecrated Clay For 't was a Temple never ceas'd to pray Thy oft repeated Storms Heaven's Gates assail'd Whose sacred Violence at last prevail'd Heaven kindly yielding sent a Message down To bid thee enter and possess the Crown One Period ends thy Combat and thy Breath Thy Conquest bravely finish'd in thy Death Such was Epaminondas noble Pride The minute that he Overcame he dy'd Alas what cannot warm Religion dare No Walls so high but may be scal'd by Pray'r New Stratagems by Piety are found And highest Flights take rise from off the ground What happy Zeal thy Spirit did inspire That ' midst thy Tears could kindle so much fire Which made
frown'd upon my Birth Nor to this Hour allows one Minute's Mirth Yet still I 'm flatter'd with deceitful Air That always says to Morrow shall be fair No Morrow yet has darted one kind Ray But still proves darker than the former Day The ruffling Winds oftimes disturb the Main But soon the Billows grow compos'd again No Leaves in Winter on the Grove are seen Which yet the next Spring Cloaths with fresher Green When sudden Storms eclipse the Morning's Light Those once dispers'd the Day returns more bright My gloomy Thoughts no Interval can find The Tempest always rages in my Mind My Sighs are all the Musick I employ My Sighs are all the Musick I enjoy With these I pass the tedious Night away With these I pass the yet more tedious Day My Friends 't is true their Counsel oft address Advise me oft to make my Sorrows less I took their Council gave to Mirth the Rein Mirth only brought more sharp Returns of Pain For when my Griefs with Laughter I 'd beguile Tempestuous Sighs destroy'd the Infant Smile And when I try to Sleep my Griefs to Rest Their Crys fright from my Door the gentle Guest Ye Streams and Groves my long frequented Seats Ye Rocks Caves my Sorrows last Retreats You know how oft my Groans in vain supprest Have with recoiling Fury torn my Breast While Eccho gentle sharer of my Woe Returns a Sigh to ev'ry Sigh I throw Here Progne do's her mournful Story tell Answer'd by sadder Notes of Philomel Each in her Turn renews the doleful Strain While Halcyons from the distant Shoars complain With these the Turtle joins eternal Moan Like me she mourns and murmurs all alone Thus Fate do's cruelly my Life prolong Of all my suffrings Life the greatest Wrong Out of Hermannus Hugo I Charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my Beloved that ye tell him I am sick of Love Cant. 5. 8. YE happy souls of Heavenly Salem's Race Whose snowy Feet the Azure Temples grace You you I charge attend my sacred Strain If ye by chance shou'd find my Love again Tell him I Languish with a Fire unknown As Iasmins saint beneath th' Assyrian Sun For ' midst the Darts he lately scatter'd round He fell himself a Shaft and I a Wound At least his own Blood ting'd the pointed Steel ' For I more His than my own Sufferings feel Ah! with what fires was then my Soul possest As if whole Aetna heav'd within my Breast If he 's inquisitive as Lovers are And should enquire of each particular Talk all the Forms of Languish and Distress Which Pain forbids the Sufferer to express He 'll ask if I am Feaverish tell him No My Spirits are too weak my Pulse too low He 'll ask if danger of my Life appears Tell what your Eyes discover not your Ears Tell him you bid me speak whilst my faint breath Imported nothing but the signs of Death Perhaps he 'll ask you how I did appear What Looks and what my other symptoms were This or like This let your Description be That he my danger with its Cause may see A pale a frightful trembling Ghost I lye Condemn'd O Fate neither to live nor dye I pant and struggle for my hovering Breath Labouring for either perfect Life or Death With heavy Eyes that sink in gloomy Shade My faint Right hand within my Bosom laid No rosy Colours no young Native heat No Pulse tho' touch'd can be perceiv'd to beat A floud of Tears wash my faint Life away And dying Sighs to him my Soul convey Whilst in these sad Complaints I still admire To feel I burn yet know not what 's the fire Unless 't is Love which doth these Passions move For every accent of my Pain is Love From hence I find from hence proceeds my flame I know not Love but yet a Lover am Love made my Plaints so loud my Sighs so deep Love taught my unexperienc'd Eyes to weep From hence th' Abruptness of my Language came That I could utter nothing but his Name This in these words Let my Beloved hear That I fond of my pain his Fetters bear Tell him I burn with such a gentle fire As Roses in the Summers heat expire Tell him that I with long Desires decay As hoary Lillies droop and fade away I charge ye tell him I am sick of Love And my last Sickness tell him it will prove ON EASTER-DAY By an unknown Hand 1. HArk Sure I hear Urania play I hear her tune the heavenly Strings Some wondrous Tidings sure she brings Oh! now methinks I hear her say The Sun of Rightcousness To day Must break must rise must come away With Healing on his Wings 2. 'T is done behold the God appear Fulfilling all that he hath said Captivity is Captive led Death of his old invenom'd Spear Behold disarm'd and conquer'd here The Grave no more the Members seat Since risen is the Head 3. In vain the silly Rabbins strove A Stratagem of Force to find The Lord Omnipotent to bind Too weak to stop Almighty Love Their Guards their Stone their Seal must prove The trembling Earth doth all remove Like Dust before the Wind. 4. Let ransom'd Men in Praises vie Let every faithful Soul rejoice And tune to Angels Notes his Voice Hail Son of David let them cry Hail Thou that Livest and didst Dye That list'st thy glorious Seat on high And Sufferings mad'st thy Choice 5. Unfold ye Everlasting Gates That Guard the great Iehovah's Towers Those Sacred My stick Leaves of yours The King of Glory for you waits Receive him O ye blissful Bow'rs Ye Thrones Dominions Sceptred Powers He comes accomplish'd are the Hours Appointed by the Fates 6. Be now thy Foes thy Footstool made Exalted high on God's Right-hand A Priest for ever mayst thou stand Thy dear Redeeming Blood to plead Th' imperfect Sacrifice to aid Which is by wretched Man convey'd And never must be scann'd A Preparation to PRAYER By the same Hand 1. LET no bold Prayer presume to rise Let no unhallowed Incense go A fruitless Progress through the Skies Whilst here thy Heart remains below Thy Heart adorn'd in all its best desires Thy Father kindly courts thy awful God requires 2. Think with what Reverence and State Thy Maker is ador'd Above What mighty Beings round him wait And pay their Worship and their Love That Cherubims are in his Sight afraid And with enfolded Wings their glorious Faces Shade 3. How must that Guardian Angel grieve That to attend thy Soul is sent Such cold Petitions to receive As his warm Zeal can ne'er present How must he grieve thy empty Forms to see In Spirit and in Truth his God must worshipt be 4. How will it swell thy final Cares How will it all thy hopes defeat To see thy Sins increas'd by Prayers Which only could their force abate How can'st thou hope t' escape those foreign Harms Who thus against thy self turn'st thy defensive Arms GOLD is try'd in the Fire